


Closer: The Hunt For Ethan Morgan

by orphan_account



Category: My Babysitter's A Vampire
Genre: 10 years to be exact, Aged-Up Character(s), Cults, F/F, Internalized Homophobia, Kidnapping, M/M, Post Season 2 Finale, benny weir has a small magic daughter, ethan is a bad person as per usual in my fics, rory is uhhh, sarah and erica are living their best lives, the perfect nuclear family, youll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2020-12-24 16:40:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21102638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Ten years ago, in the aftermath of the Lucifractor explosion, Ethan Morgan abandoned Benny Weir, leaving him alone with their adopted daughter. Calloused and cold from years of resentment, he sets out with Erica to learn the truth about a cult, where Ethan went, and about the nature of his own humanity.-Doesn't read like a normal fanfiction, as it is adapted from a roleplay me and my best friend wrote over Messanger, so some things are very detailed, others are not. We focused on writing what made us feel good (and bad because it's fun) to have the most fun we could.





	1. If You Could Remember

**Author's Note:**

> update: i seperated the paragraphs! it didnt do it the first time i posted it but now its fixed!

Hunched over his desk, Benny wrote out the next pages of this volume of his series of spell books, all written to hopefully be found by the children still listening to anything about magic, volume three to be specific.

10 years since he had done anything but work on magic, since he’d worked on anything other than becoming stronger than Stern ever had.

He dropped his pen, hearing the stairs to his one-room apartment that he had made out of the library's office creak. He called out into the dim room, knowing his voice would travel easily through the bead curtains, he didn't have much privacy with a child around, he preferred to be easily accessible. 

“Who’s that? Jessica? I have plenty for you to read if you're looking for more material.

Erica pushed aside the multicolor strings of beads and stepped through the doorway, looking around disinterestedly. "My name's actually Erica." She started over to Benny.

"If you could remember." Benny swiveled around in his chair to meet her gaze. 

“Wouldn’t forget it.” Erica noticed how the years had changed him, he now had a buzzcut, fuzzy facial hair, and a cigarette between his pointer and middle finger replacing the pen still rolling on his desk, unlit and waiting. A monk in his temple, one might say, if only those tattoos were spiritual- were they? Latin scrawls and runes of magical dialogue littered his skin, and if you squinted it almost looked like they were crawling across his pale flesh. 

“What do you need.” It wasn’t a question, it didn’t come out like one, anyway. His gaze was dead, mouth slightly agape. Warm welcome, huh.

"Well, you look undead." She grinned, teeth flashing. "Which is funny, you know...considering." Her smile dropped, and she stood for a moment of awkward silence, pulling at the bottom of her black leather jacket with long, purple nails. Claws, really, that somehow managed to catch Benny's eyes in the half-light. Looking at her, almost uncomfortable at the wheat-blonde hair cropped extremely close to her head. 

"Nice haircut." An empty grin. "You too."

“You didn’t answer my question, Jones.” He turned back to his desk to find his lighter. He pulled a fake British accent out of his ass. 

“Fancy a smoke?” He lit his own and turned his head to look her over one last time.

“Can’t remember if you used to or not, but regardless, you still need to tell me what you’re here for or I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” His personality had switched between his teenage self and a dead man walking in moments. He was an incense holder containing secrets. Erica sighed and sat down in front of him in the semi-plush, dusty armchair. 

"What the hell. I mean, my lungs aren't getting any younger." He handed her one, looking expectantly as she lit it in her mouth.

"Sorry if the jokes are getting old. It's j-I don't really talk about it anymore. That much." She took a quick puff. 

"Ar-" "Just give me a second." Another puff. He chuckled quietly at her childish demeanor. She hadn’t really changed much. He waited patiently, and that second turned into about a minute as they finished their cigarettes, flicking ashes into an ancient brass ashtray that doubled as a paperweight on his desk.

“If you’re asking me about Ethan, I have no damn clue whe-“ 

"So you're thinking about him?" An embarrassed look down. 

"Or I, sorry, that's a little too much for..." 

"You've never been one for apologies."

"I know, it's just... it's good seeing you." An annoyed look of giving in. 

"Defender."

“Look, Erica, I need you to get to the point because I have a lot of material to work on for my sorcery students and I’m not going to stop all that just for someone from my past...” He inhaled deeply and exhaled shallowly.

“I don’t like thinking about it and honestly I’m a little concerned, so please.” He looked her in the eyes, waiting expectantly. 

"Okay, well." She put her hands down onto the armrests for a second, forgetting about the cigarette withering away next to her middle finger.

"I don't know how to put this because of...everything with you and him but Sarah's looking for Ethan. And me. I'm...helping I guess." She looked up at the ceiling. 

"The little fucker is so hard to find." A slight grin. Benny furrowed his brows, clutching the armrest in an iron grip. 

“So, you just assumed I’d know? Because, of course, after 10 years I’d still know everything about that little cunts whereabouts?” He looked at her with fire in the whites of his eyes, the tattoos on his arms squirming erratically. 

“Short answer, I don’t know.”

"I thought 'little fucker' was a more endearing phrase, but yeah." She stared into the fire with a knowing gaze. 

"Trust me, I feel weird about it, too, but Sarah's sure he could help, and you know when she gets her mind-" 

"Help with what?"

"The... the thing." She sighed. "I dont know what it's... a force? Not like your guy's old Star Wars nerd shit, but like, an oppressive-"

“Oh, blah, blah “evil force lurking in Whitechapel” whatever. Have you met this town? Since all of you guys ditched all the humans left because there was nothing left. Me and my students have been fighting off things for years at this point if there’s anything I think we have it under control.” He turned away from her and pulled a binder out from a drawer in his desk. 

“We keep track of suspicious activity to keep the remaining magic folk safe- wait, have you stayed here this whole damn time?” He snapped his head around. “Where did you come from?” 

"Sarah's. She's... just on the edge of town." Erica remembered to take a puff. 

"Didn't wanna leave but didn't wanna stay, so..." A grin. "I know I wanted to get the hell out of here, so it's weird being back."

"So what are you all convinced about? 'The force?'"

"Yeah, it's... It kinda drew me back. I looked around and found out where Sarah lives. Showed up on her porch and when she opened the door, she just...knew." A bitter laugh.

"Like a vampire sixth sense?"

"No, like a...a piercing fucking headache."

Benny filed through his binder. “Like... being a seer, but disgusting. Some of my students have been having similar issues, they show up to the library in the middle of the night to come ask me questions about things they’ve had impulses about.” He stopped dead in his tracks and leaned back in his chair. 

“For you guys it was... Ethan? Or to just come back to Whitechapel?” He found himself immediately digging through the mystery like he used to, way back when, it made himself uneasy.

"To come back, which-" A grin. "-I never thought I'd want to do. Sarah's is Ethan, but...I don't know about impulse. I think she has the right idea." 

“Regardless, I have no clue where he is and I don’t care to find out. Do you need anything else from me?”

"A conversation?" She leaned back. "Haven't seen you for what? Almost ten years? We could stand to catch up."

“Honestly, right now I’m just a little pissed that you found me just to find out where Ethan is. You could have found me at any point to just talk, I think it’s a little too late for a strong friendship.” He got another cigarette out of the nearly empty Marlboro menthol box and lit it, hands shaking. His nails were bitten at and calloused, years of anxiety manifesting on his skin.

“If you have any questions or anything that might change my mind your chance is now.” Erica stamped her cigarette out in the ashtray, a mutant cross between Mean Girl and Tarantino villian.

"I mean, it would be nice to have you with, but I'm not gonna beg for you. This is Sarah's plan anyway." 

“What for?” His bottom lip quivered like he was going to cry. 

“If we found Ethan it would be painfully awkward and I don’t think he’d want to go back to monster hunting and all that jazz.” It was painfully obvious that he knew more than he let on. He turned back to face Erica. “I don’t know what use we’d be, to be honest.” Erica stood up, touching the edges of her jacket again. 

"That's fine then. I can't force you to do anything, but if you change your mind, you know where Sarah is." She started walking out, shoes clicking on the hardwood floor. Before she reached the shower of the beads, she turned around. "Last chance."

Benny felt guilt bubbling in his stomach, and he couldn’t take being alone ever again. 

“Erica, I’m so sorry, I really do want to catch up, I-“ He choked on his words, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I just get really angry about Ethan and I’m so sorry.” He looked at her pathetically. 

“I want to know everything about where you’ve been, I’m being honest.” She took another glance around the office. 

"Don't you get bored in here?" 

"I-kn-sometimes."

"I would." She stepped forward. 

"Come on. You need some fresh air.


	2. Fresh Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erica and Benny go on a car ride, and Benny spills some information he never intended to.

Benny nearly flew out of his seat, and once Erica got full sight of him, it became clear.

He was a very different man than he used to be, but 10 years of devotion to the craft probably just did that to a man.

He was wearing a fitting black shirt and tattered jeans, a far cry from the way he used to dress, over his shirt he wore a beige cardigan that seemed to be made for a woman but it didn’t look half bad. He slid on his sneakers without socks.

“Before we go I need to tell someone I’m going somewhere. I hardly leave the library for anything other than grocery shopping and odd jobs.” He smiled at her, an expression that had become nearly unfamiliar.

“I have a... uh, student that I’ve become very close to, we should probably, you know, leave her in charge.”

Down the stairs and into the library they went, avoiding piles of ancient magic grimores and chairs haphazardly left in inconvenient places. A stocky girl with a cloud of blonde hair seemingly sensed Benny, turning around to greet him happily, putting down her books.

“You’re going somewhere, aren’t you?” He nodded, pulling her into a hug. It was unusually tender for someone who seemed to be as standoffish as he had been.

“I’m going with Miss Erica to see an old friend, can you hold down the fort?” The girl nodded eagerly and faced Erica as she pulled away from the hug. “

You’re an old friend of Dad's?” A millisecond of hesitation that only Erica could notice in her own mouth. 

"Yeah. W-e knew each other. Growing up." Jessica smiled.

"That's great!" Erica tried to muster up a grin in response, fully knowing that she reeked of smoke and looked, well, undead with tiredness. 

"Yeah, it's...pretty great. We're just gonna-" 

"Go somewhere to eat," Benny covered.

"But don't wait up for me. We have some catching up to do." They said their goodbyes and walked down the dusty hallway, Benny trying to keep up with Erica. 

"She knows how to lock up, so don't worry about-" "It's fine."

He nervously turned to look at Jessica one last time before they closed the front door behind them. It was obvious that Benny had become a softy in his adult years. Outside it was cold, like the fall they all had met. 

“So, what’s the deal, are we walking, driving, are you carrying my ass while you fly?” Benny laughed to himself as he nervously put his hands in his pockets. This was beyond absurd for him, to be with someone other than the occasional man he'd pick up at a bar, or Jess.

"I got Sarah's truck. She-I haven't been flying much lately. Driving's cooler anyway." She saw a quick look of doubt over Benny's face.

"Seriously. I mean...okay, it's not, but we didn't want to freak you out." 

"I can deal with this stuff," he said in an annoyed tone, then corrected himself. "But thanks."

After locating the car, Benny plopped into the passenger seat with his legs awkwardly pressed together. How lady-like! He picked at this cuticles with his nails, tapping his foot. 

“Haven’t seen Sarah since the Lucifractor.” He muttered. “Has she changed much?” He caught himself. “Not that that would be a bad thing, I just want to know what to expect.”

"Everyone changed, dork." A smirk at him from the driver's seat. "Never would've pictured you as the library type. Illiterate, maybe." This got a stuffy laugh out of him, a crack in the dam of gloom for just an instance. 

"And I never pictured you driving a pick-up truck." They found themselves laughing together as if they were still in high school, wheezing and all. After the moment passed, he took a deep breath.

“Just— okay, look, I think we’ve all changed a huge amount and it’s just jarring so please forgive me for my, weird shit.” He smiled genuinely. “I want to try to get back to normal.”

"Definitely." A pained grin flashed across Erica's face, trying so hard to masquerade as happy. There was no going back, but it was fun to consider. 

“So, Sarah’s house...” He thought for a moment as if he could possibly know where she lived. “I guess you just- lead the way.” After a long streak of silence, he spoke, “I know you’re literally immortal, but it still freaks me out that me and Ethan are going to age and you’re still just gonna be... you know.”

"If it makes you feel better, I definitely feel older." She stared ahead at the road, watching the dim headlights bounce across the cracked pavement.

"If every ten years is gonna feel this long I don't know what I'm gonna do." She let out a quick snort, which got a tired laugh from Benny. 

“To be fair it’s been a long ten years, I think we could both share that sentiment. He rested his elbow on the center console and rested his head on his hand. “I wanted to know, if you were comfortable with me just going ahead and spilling my guts while I have the balls to?”

"Please." Her eyes stayed on the road. "I can try and do the same, but you probably won't wanna know some shit."

“Oh! Wow! Is that a bet?” 

“Maybe.” 

“Look, I-“ He took a second to prevent himself from entirely losing his cool while he told the truth. “Me and Ethan dated and then broke up, and he skipped town.” Silence.

“We just held on so tight that I didn’t know what to do when he was gone, so I picked up smoking and being a loner and soon enough I was a bitter old man and my only friend was Jessica, bless her heart, she’s only 14 and knows so much about magic already...” He sighed, almost longingly. “I can’t deny that Whitechapel needs his foresight to get back on track, but I really don’t know how he’ll respond if he sees me, especially when I can’t hide that I still love him from the bottom of my heart, friend or otherwise.” He turned to her. “And you ?” 

"Well, shit." Her eyes and face had softened into a playdough mess of mild shock, fingers tapping on the wheel. "I-that's...hell of a lot wilder than I thought." She glanced over at him. "So you..." He nodded absentmindedly. "Ethan," she muttered, then caught herself. "W-I mean, I'm not judging you two, but it's...w-it's like finding out that Alvin hooked up with one of the other Chipmunks." 

"They're brothers," Benny deadpanned.

"Ah, shit, sorry, but-ya know?" Her face hardened slightly again. "That's crazy." 

“Yea, I get it. I’m sorry I was still so bitter about him that i nearly kicked you out of my office.” He snorted. “I just really didn’t want anything to do with him and my past freaks me out.” Benny exhaled hard through his nose. “But, yea, I’m a faggot! Surprise!”

Erica took a left turn, and the ground switched from pavement to rough gravel. She slowed down a little and sighed. "I..m sorry, cause I wouldn't get you into-" "It's okay." "W...Are you gonna tell Sarah?" She bit her lip. "Cause her and Ethan..." 

“What are you gonna tell me, they slammed or something? Or are you just concerned about how they liked each other way back when?” He reached in a jean pocket for his cigarettes, only to find them gone. “Fuck, I left my cigs at the library, guess I’ll just breathe fresh air, then.”

"It's good for you," she said under her breath, then got louder. "Nothing. It's-well...they had something, too." Benny finally looked at the road, jaw clenched like a prison door. "But I don't know when. It was...awhile and..." She trailed off. "It wasn't very long." 

“Recently?” He looked like a kicked puppy. “I don’t- you mean back in high school, yea?” Panic rose in his face, leaving beet red in his cheeks. “I mean- I- I really don’t care but- when?”

"like..." Erica was trying to find a way to soften the blow. "It wasn't much, but they met up like two years ago and..." A pained face. "Ya know, it became a regular thing." Benny glared at the road. "But it was for, like, six months? So-" "Ours was two." Silence in the car.

“Erica, man, this trip is gonna suck dick. I love you and all, but-“ He covered his face. “UGGGGGHHH.” He hunched forward and then quickly sat back up and tilted his head back, whining. “How do I tell Sarah I dicked Ethan before she did? That’s such a fucked up thing to do to a friendship.” The car stopped in an unfamiliar driveway.

Erica stayed silent for a second, switching the car off. Benny went silent, too. 

"This is fucked," she said. They stared at the country house's front porch glowing in the lamp light from the living room window.

"Yeah." The front door opened and Sarah looked out. Erica closed her eyes. 

"I don't know. Just...come up with something."

"Great advice."


	3. No More Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny can't seem to keep his mouth shut, Sarah doesn't like that.

Benny got out of the car first, his long legs honestly about to collapse underneath him. He walked around the front of the car and greeted Sarah. “What’s crackalackin, Sarah?” This man really hadn’t changed, had he? Erica couldn’t tell through the finger guns.

“Holy shit!” Sarah covered her mouth in shock, looking at Benny and then back to Erica, then mouthed, a “You found him?” Erica nodded. Sarah’s style hasn't changed much, except her hair wasn’t straightened anymore, it was everywhere in thick kinky curls, a cloud over her bare shoulders. She looked tired, but being in pajamas didn’t help the look.

“Benny! I have so much to ask you about, you’re really the only person I could think of who would know what the hell is going on and honestly- I missed you.” Benny’s cool demeanor fell almost entirely.

“Well, things have kinda changed-“ 

“We still need to talk, I have wine in the fridge and a warm bed for you to sleep in, ok? Erica, you get out here, too.”

Sarah turned back to Benny and gave him a look over again while Erica got out of the truck. "Is- Is that a dad bod?" 

"I mean-"

Erica could sense the tightness of Benny's shoulders through his loose clothes as he climbed up the front steps. Tense, holding him back after years and years and years and...the news in the car. Erica walked up the steps and watched as the pair hugged. There was a hint of hesitation, and Erica could see Benny's muscles straining not to give in. Holding back, holding back. Would it spill? It spilled a little as Benny walked into the safety of Sarah’s house. His throat closed up and his eyes watered. “Should we just sit in the living room and talk a moment?” His voice was wavering. 

“Wine, Benny? To soothe your tired soul?” 

“Yes, please.” Sarah was a sleepy goddess pouring white wine into a bedazzled cup and handing it to Benny under the fluorescent light of her kitchen. He thanked her quietly as she began to pour another glass for Erica.

“I’m just so glad you guys are here to talk out how scary things have been.” She looked so relieved, shoulders loose and smile soft. “How was your ride here?” She looked to Erica.

"It was good. We-" An auditory sword slice between words. "-caught up a little bit, which was great." Erica grinned. "It was good hearing what this nerd's been up to."

Benny gave a mandatory eye roll.

“It was nice.” Benny agreed awkwardly, as he left the kitchen and looked around for the living room subtly, though it was conveniently around the corner, so he sat down, legs awkwardly pushed together and both hands cradling his wine glass. He waited patiently for Erica and Sarah, who were babbling away in the hall, to join him and once they did he cleared his throat after a long sip. “A lot has changed, and I don’t know if finding Ethan is a good idea, I’ve just gotta put it how it is-“ 

“Benny, you’re a stupid son of a bitch.” Erica impulsively hissed. Sarah crossed her legs and crushed the mood between them. Benny looked at Erica and mouthed a long “Fuck.”

"Well, what is it?" Sarah looked concerned. "Cause if you don't think he'd be interested or, or like something cau-"

"We had sex."

Silence.

"Multiple times."

Erica glared at Benny, equally disgusted and impressed. Thoughts were tilt-a-whirling through her head. Truly there was no ruder entrance than walking into someone's house smelling like mint and cigarettes, plopping down on the couch while preparing to get wine drunk, and lighting the unspoken tension in the room on fire like gasoline… and the look on Sarah's face, shocked and tight while trying to seem calm. It was horrible… and so different than how Benny used to be. He used to- Erica looked at Sarah.

“He, he told me he’d never been with anyone before me...” Sarah looked shattered. “So, you and Ethan were together before he found me?”

“Yeah.” Benny looked pissed but focused and he put his glass onto the coffee table a little too hard but careful not to break anything. “Me and him had a romantic and sexual relationship for two months and then one day he just up and left.”

“Oh my god.” Sarah covered her mouth. “Me and him had an actual breakup, but now I don’t know if he was being completely hones- Is this why you guys looked so awkward in the car? Because Benny dicked Ethan?” Benny stared at the floor as Sarah made burning eye contact with Erica.

Erica struggled for words. "I-We...I-this is better than keeping it in."

Sarah stood up. "I'm gonna go shower."

Awkward looks.

A slight voice crack as she pushed out, "I'm serious. I'll-seeyouinthemorning."

She went upstairs, and her bedroom door closed.

"Well, that was wild," Benny said blankly.

"You're fucked up for that," Erica spat out in something in between anger and exhaustion, then followed Sarah upstairs.

Sarah stood in her room as Erica made her way into the hallway. Her shoulders shook, and so did the rest of her. She looked so small in her tank top and fuzzy pants. She turned around at the sound of Erica in the hall. “I-“ She crossed her arms and covered her mouth with one hand, tearing up. “I don’t know whether to be mad at Ben or Ethan, I really don’t. I just want to be safe, Erica!”

"You are safe!" Erica wrapped her arms around Sarah and held her. 

"But it's-it-" she blubbered.

"It's fucked up," Erica finished.

Sarah ugly cried into Erica’s shoulder. “Ethan left because he said he wanted a family and with me being on team V he couldn’t have that- and- and- and- Ohmygodsomuchofourrelationshipwasalie— What do I do?”

"You don't know what he wants." Erica squeezed tighter. "Ethan can be on fucking crack for all we know. Who knows if we should trust anythi-"

"But-but he-"

"Obviously his words mean jack shit." Erica sighed into Sarah's shoulder. "Just means he has more explaining to do when we find him."

Sarah tensed up in her arms. "If we find him."

Benny quietly lurked up the stairs, looking tiny with how his body slumped in guilt in the hallway. “Hey, Sarah, I’m really sorry, tonight’s been really, really overwhelming for me.” He crossed his arms and slouched. “I’m mad about Ethan, too, but I think I’d rather be angry with you than without you.” Sarah looked at him from Erica’s shoulder.

“It just hurt, Benny, I don’t think it’s cool to just come here and drop something that intense-“

“I know, I was really rude to Erica when I saw her, too.” 

“He was.”

“I think I just need to use this as a learning experience on how to move on.” “Yea...” Sarah pulled away from Erica and went to lean in her doorway. “I just think maybe we should all... chill for the night and talk it out when it feels right.” Sarah turned to Erica for approval.

.

Benny sat on the toilet fully clothed, brain wandering. 

If he saw Ethan again would the spark still be there? Would they find themselves alone in a room, willingly making there be as little space between themselves as possible despite all this room? Would Ethan kiss at his neck, open mouthed, seeking to leave bruises in his wake?

Often Ethan leaves bruises in his wake, whether it’s on Benny’s neck, or on his heavy, dirty soul.

Ethan is hurricane in Benny’s imagination, his eyes are stormy waters as he runs his nails down Benny’s bare back, scrambling for purchase.

Oh, lord, he had found land.

“I’ll never leave you again.” He’ll whimper, wrapping his legs around Benny’s waist, finding comfort in the newfound softness of his hips. “You’re all I ever needed.” His lips will brush against his ear, and then will be gone as Benny pushes and pushes.

Ethan on his back, fully vulnerable. 

“I love you.”

Erica stood in the hallway, cloaked in the half-light. The house was growing silent, caught inside of a void. In Sarah's room, the open window had shouted secrets of buzzing bugs and twilight white noise. Staring at Sarah's limp shoulder blades as she had tucked them in, Erica felt that pull. The pull that led her into the hallway, standing like a ghost as Benny did whatever he had to do in the bathroom and Sarah slept.

The house, unforgiving. Silent and waiting.

Feeling.

Telling herself that things were too complicated already. There wasn't room for another.

She pressed play and walked downstairs to the small, dusty storage room Sarah had turned into a makeshift guest bedroom. On the floor was a blow-up mattress, half-deflated and resoundingly empty.

No shoulder blades.

Erica laid down, feeling the darkness creeping down the hall.

No more room.


End file.
